1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to holders or retainers for groups of pressurized gas cylinders to maintain them firmly in a predetermined array configuration.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of pallets are known for holding a plurality of pressurized gas cylinders. Such pallets may be of the type designed for movement by forklift and/or may be in the form of a wheeled cart. Some such pallets are in the form of an upright, box-like, open cage which accommodates a plurality of cylinders. This arrangement provides greater stability than a simple flat pallet in that it limits tipping movement of the cylinders. But the cylinders must remain on the pallet for support. If they are removed from the pallet, some other means must be provided to hold them stably in a grouped array.
Furthermore, such open cage-type pallets do not serve to insure spacing between adjacent cylinders and, if the pallet is not substantially filled with cylinders, it will leave room for cylinders to tip and to bang against one another, necessitating the use of ropes or other lashing material to hold the cylinders upright and tightly together.
It is known to provide spacing bars on such cage-type pallets to separate the cylinders into adjacent rows, one such arrangement being disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,368. But like other cage-type pallets, this device requires that the cylinders remain on the pallet.
It is also known to provide a framework for groups of upright pressure cylinders which maintains a predetermined spacing therebetween whether or not they are on a pallet. One such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,813. This holder is a relatively complicated arrangement including a base member having a plurality of semi-cylindrical recesses for respectively accommodating cylinders and a plurality of gate elements which are hingedly connected to the base member for extending around the circumference of the cylinders to lock them in place. The arrangement is quite complicated and cumbersome. Furthermore, the device must be carefully dimensioned to accurately mate with the cylinders so as to tightly clamp them to support the device on the cylinders.